October 24, 2025
Idaho Mule Deer Rising, Corner-Crossing Win & Wolf Lawsuit Heat 🔥
Straight talk from the field — no fluff, no filters, just the hunt and the headlines.
Good morning, Westerners — big access news, fresh predator drama, and a stack of field-ready gear to prime your weekend hunts. Grab coffee (or your bino harness) and dive in.
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🎯 Field Notes — Idaho Rifle Season: Close Calls & Clean Misses
I’ve been chasing deer across Idaho since October 10th. Missed a few days for work and life stuff, but I’ve hunted hard. OTC mule deer in pressured country will test every bit of patience you’ve got.
I’ve hunted alone, with my son, and with my wife. We’ve seen plenty of deer — even missed a chance at a small buck on day three when my boy caught a little buck fever. A few days later, we spotted another but couldn’t get a clean shot.
Then one morning, I slipped out before daylight and pushed farther back than we’d gone before, crossing ridges and canyons. After glassing more than two dozen does, I finally turned up a solid muley buck across the draw.
Everything lined up. I ranged him a few times, dialed the scope, settled in behind the rifle… and still, the shot hit about an MOA low. He jumped high and vanished over the ridge. I hiked over, checked the spot, and spent most of the day following tracks — not just hoping for redemption, but making sure it was a clean miss.
There are still a few days left in the season. Maybe I’ll cross paths with him again.
Stay tuned.
— From the Editor’s Desk
🗺️ Mini Table of Contents
TAG WATCH • PREDATOR WATCH • ACCESS & LAWS • WILDLIFE & FIELD NOTES • GEAR DROP • CALIBER CORNER • POLL
🏹 TAG WATCH // Week-Ahead Reminders
Idaho: General deer seasons underway statewide; upland seasons rolling; several small-game closes hit Oct 31 — double-check your unit regs. Idaho Fish and Game
Wyoming: Elk changes specific to the National Elk Refuge this year — if you’re headed to Jackson, review the updated season details. Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Planning tool: Wyoming’s 2025 hunt forecast (by region) remains a solid quick-read before road trips. Wyoming Game and Fish Department
🐺 PREDATOR WATCH // Montana Wolf Rules in the Crosshairs
The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) has approved new 2025-26 wolf hunting and trapping rules — including a statewide quota of 452 wolves, sub-quotas in Region 3 (60 wolves) and unit WMU 313/316 (3 each), and new bag limits letting hunters/trappers take up to 15 wolves via hunting and 15 via trapping (provided five of each come from Regions 1 or 2). Daily Montanan+3Cut Bank Pioneer Press+3XL Country 100.7+3
Conservation groups warn that quota pushes this high could drive the population below sustainable levels; opponents counter that wolf numbers have stagnated and more liberal harvest is required. Idaho Capital Sun+1
👉 Quick CTA: Bookmark wolf-harvest status and alert pages at Montana FWP so you’re ready if a quota hits and the season shuts down fast.
[Montana FWP Wolf Regulations] (make sure this link points to: https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/regulations/wolf) Montana FWP
🟩 ACCESS & LAWS // Corner-Crossing: What the SCOTUS Denial Means
On Oct 20, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Wyoming landowner’s appeal in the high-profile corner-crossing case — effectively leaving the 10th Circuit’s dismissal in place. That’s a big win for public-land hunters across much of the West, with important caveats. Spokesman-Review+2Cowboy State Daily+2
What this means (practical-field version):
In 10th-Circuit states, the decision reinforces that stepping from public to public at a shared corner (without touching private) aligns with the ruling left standing. BUT local enforcement, signage, and unique state trespass statutes still matter — don’t be the test case. Spokesman-Review
Always carry onX/GAIA with downloaded layers; photograph corners and stick to GPS breadcrumbs if challenged. (Editorial guidance; verify against local regs.)
Expect continued debate in statehouses and possible civil challenges elsewhere.
Read more: NBC Montana summary; Cowboy State Daily explainer; Spokesman-Review coverage. KECI+2Cowboy State Daily+2
🐻 WILDLIFE & FIELD NOTES // Two Grizzly Close-Calls Up North
Boundary County, ID — A hunter near the Canadian border was charged by a grizzly last week; no shots fired reported in that incident, but a stark reminder for anyone poking into brushy drainages. AOL+1
British Columbia — Two hikers were seriously injured on Oct 12 after surprising a sow with cubs; officials deemed it defensive and closed the area temporarily. People.com
Bear-country basics for rifle season: move noisy through tight timber, keep spray accessible on your chest strap, and hang meat/food away from camp. (If you missed it Wednesday, we linked the Island Park self-defense case and IDFG’s safety list.)
🎒 GEAR DROP // Field-Proven Picks for Late October
🧭 Maven B1.2 10x42 (Direct-to-hunter glass)
Bright, neutral color, strong low-light performance, and direct pricing. A dependable upgrade before your next ridge glass. 👉 Shop B-Series Maven Outdoor Equipment Company
🌧️ Sitka “New for 2025” Shells (Dew Point Pro & updates)
If you chase storms more than sun, these lighter, packable shells are worth a look before November fronts hit. 👉 Sitka New Arrivals • Retailer highlight: 1ShotGear 2025 collection SITKA Gear+1
🦌 Weatherby Vanguard Obsidian (Workhorse rifle)
Classic Vanguard reliability with a rugged synthetic stock — a budget-friendly way into a Western-ready rig. 👉 Product page Weatherby
🐿️ Small-Game Fun: Bergara BMR-X Rimfire
Light, accurate rimfire with carbon-barrel option — perfect for camp meat and off-season reps. 👉 BMR-X overview NRA Family
🎯 CALIBER CORNER // Wind Calls in the Real World (90-Second Drill)
The plan: Print a simple DOPE card for your rifle/load, then run 5 shots each at 300 / 400 / 500 yds with a steady 5–10 mph cross. Hold using your reticle, not turrets. Note impacts, adjust, repeat.
New to LR? Start here →https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzfswYe2d8M
🗳️ Quick Poll (tap to reply)
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🏕️ FIELD NOTE — Fog, Frost, and Footsteps
Third ridge of the morning. Frost crunches, then melts under the first sun. We cut a set of fresh tracks that seem to know exactly where we aren’t looking. No shot today — just the reminder that the best part of a hunt is the part you can’t script. See you out there Sunday.
🤠 Sign-Off
Hunt hard. Be legal. Leave it better than you found it.
See you Monday for the Week-Ahead Dispatch.
Western Vantage Team